Law & Disorder: 2014 legislative session ends

Angry impasse leads to forced negotiations with last-minute help from the governor

10:50 PM,
Apr. 3, 2014

Republican Rep. Toby Barker of Hattiesburg asks colleague Sonya Williams-Barnes, D-Gulfport, to autograph his legislative roster as the chamber stands in recess Wednesday in the final hours of the 2014 session.

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The 2014 legislative session staggered over the finish line late Wednesday night, with Gov. Phil Bryant having to nudge it with a special session order to buy more time and force negotiations after House and Senate Republican leaders reached an angry impasse.

The three-month session produced some major policy, spending and reform, including an omnibus criminal justice overhaul aimed at soaring prison population and costs and a teacher pay raise. But it often found lawmakers camped on divisive, partisan social policy - religious versus civil liberties, guns and ammo, abortion, gay ...